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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2016 Volkswagen Touareg is associated with 44 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 20 reports (45% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 3l 6-cyl and 3.6l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 19 to 24 MPG combined. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 44 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (20 / 45%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 0 crash / 0 fire / 1 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: Not rated by NHTSA
  • • EPA Certified Range: 19–24 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Touareg Diesel 3L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 21 MPG 28 MPG 24 MPG — $3,300 / yr
Touareg 3.6L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 17 MPG 23 MPG 19 MPG — $3,250 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV AWD —
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 Volkswagen Touareg models.
View complete 2016 Volkswagen Touareg crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

Summary of 44 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
44
Crash Reports
0
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
1
Total Injuries
3

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 20 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance 3 complaints
Structure & Body 3 complaints
Fuel & Propulsion System 2 complaints
Air Bags 1 complaint

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2016 Volkswagen Touareg problems & component breakdown (19 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #16V243000 Active Recall
Affected Component: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toureg vehicles manufactured July 7, 2015 to March 3, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be improperly calibrated and, as a result, the TPMS may fail to warn the driver that the tire pressure is low. Additionally, the tire pressures printed on the Safety Certification labels are incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will correct the TPMS settings and replace the safety certification label, free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2016. Volkwagen's number for this recall is 44M9.
NHTSA Campaign #16V170000 Active Recall
Affected Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Touareg vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a securing clip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly to verify the presence of the securing clip and install any missing securing clips, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46G4.
View all 2016 Volkswagen Touareg recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg

How many safety recalls does the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg have?

The 2016 Volkswagen Touareg is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

NHTSA records list 44 consumer defect complaints for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 20 filings (45% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2016 Volkswagen Touareg defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is there an official NHTSA crash safety rating for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

An official NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test rating is not available for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg in AutoUtility's current federal dataset.

NHTSA publishes crash safety evaluations for a selected sample of passenger vehicles each model year. Consult NHTSA.gov for active safety equipment records and vehicle safety bulletins.

Check active safety equipment and ratings overview →
Source: NHTSA NCAP Registry

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg range from 19 to 24 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.